Retaining wall cost in Tallahassee, FL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,200 – $12,200
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $31 – $59
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #251
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a retaining wall in the Tallahassee area: $6,200 to $12,200 for 200 sq ft of wall face. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 10% lower than the US figure. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $25.37 an hour in the Tallahassee area, 15% below the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Tallahassee, FL, standard level
$8,000 to $10,400
About $39.50 to $50.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 42% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $6,050 |
| Labor | $3,700 | $4,050 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $310 |
| Total | $8,000 | $10,400 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Tallahassee, FL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,100 | $7,500 | 55% |
| Labor | $3,450 | $3,900 | $4,300 | 42% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $420 | 3% |
| Total | $6,200 | $9,200 | $12,200 | 100% |
What is behind the Tallahassee number
Labor is 42% of the midpoint bill here, against 46% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is brickmasons and blockmasons (50%), construction laborers (30%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Tallahassee the blended ratio comes out at 0.83.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Tallahassee is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $5,100 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 93.9: $45 to $420.
Cost by quality level and size in Tallahassee
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Tallahassee. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face to 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face).
Basic
$6,200 to $8,600
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,000 to $10,400
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$9,800 to $12,200
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,150 – $4,400 | $4,100 – $5,350 | $5,050 – $6,300 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,500 – $3,550 | $3,300 – $4,350 | $4,100 – $5,150 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,000 – $6,950 | $6,450 – $8,400 | $7,900 – $9,850 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,450 – $10,300 | $9,600 – $12,400 | $11,700 – $14,600 |
What nearby projects cost in Tallahassee
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Tallahassee wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−7%) and concrete driveway lowest (−15%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $540 – $1,900 | −10% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,700 – $4,850 | −11% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $7,750 | −15% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,050 | −7% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,500 – $8,700 | −13% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,800 – $99,500 | −12% |
Is Tallahassee cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Tallahassee. Dothan is the lowest at about $8,900 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face), 95 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tallahassee, FLthis page | $6,200 – $12,200 | $9,200 | |
| Panama City, FL80 miles | $6,350 – $12,400 | $9,400 | +2% |
| Albany, GA90 miles | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,000 | −2% |
| Dothan, AL95 miles | $5,950 – $11,900 | $8,900 | −4% |
| Gainesville, FL115 miles | $6,300 – $12,400 | $9,350 | +1% |
| Crestview, FL125 miles | $6,600 – $12,700 | $9,650 | +5% |
| Florida (statewide) | $6,450 – $12,600 | $9,550 | +4% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Tallahassee ranks #251 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Tallahassee is 3% below the Florida figure.
Elsewhere in Florida
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $6,800 – $13,400 | $10,100 | +9% |
| Tampa, FL | 1,447,120 jobs | $6,550 – $12,600 | $9,600 | +4% |
| Orlando, FL | 1,411,730 jobs | $6,250 – $12,300 | $9,300 | +1% |
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $6,550 – $12,700 | $9,650 | +4% |
| North Port, FL | 339,940 jobs | $6,450 – $12,500 | $9,500 | +3% |
| Cape Coral, FL | 304,790 jobs | $6,250 – $12,300 | $9,250 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Tallahassee against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | 186,430 jobs | $8,000 – $14,900 | $11,400 | +24% |
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $7,100 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +12% |
| Salem, OR | 188,620 jobs | $8,600 – $15,600 | $12,100 | +31% |
| Lincoln, NE | 182,620 jobs | $6,650 – $12,700 | $9,700 | +5% |
The best months for retaining wall in Tallahassee
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Tallahassee (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Tallahassee are September through May: 9 of 12. Outside them, June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Tallahassee gets about 59 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (7.8 inches in June). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 3.2 and 3.1 inches. The station averages about 103 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64 | 41 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 68 | 44 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Mar | 74 | 49 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 80 | 54 | 3.5 | Workable |
| May | 87 | 63 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 71 | 7.8 | Hot |
| Jul | 92 | 73 | 7.1 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 7.6 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 70 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Oct | 82 | 59 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 73 | 48 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 66 | 43 | 4.2 | Workable |
Who does the work: Tallahassee trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Tallahassee the blend is 0.83.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 50%) the local median is $25.37 an hour, which is 15% below the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $21.80 and $29.30 an hour. BLS counts 60 of them working in the area, 3.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is about average.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $18.61 an hour, which is 18% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.91 and $21.61 an hour. BLS counts 1,390 of them working in the area, 74.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 20% of the weighting: a median of $22.37 an hour, 22% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $19.20 and $24.57 an hour. About 490 work in the metro. That is 26.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (brickmasons and blockmasons) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $310 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $280. That is a swing of roughly 3.0% to 3.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Tallahassee has 186,160 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 124th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $21.80 | $25.37 | $29.30 | $29.87 | 0.85 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $16.91 | $18.61 | $21.61 | $22.66 | 0.82 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $19.20 | $22.37 | $24.57 | $28.78 | 0.78 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.83 | |||||
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Tallahassee
Permit
Permits cost $50-$450 depending on location and wall size.
Height
Walls over 4 feet need engineering, deeper excavation and more skilled labor; many cities require permits over 3-4 feet (HomeGuide).
Material
Block, poured concrete and natural stone are priced differently; concrete and stone walls run higher than the segmental block default.
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Retaining wall in Tallahassee: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Tallahassee?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,200 to $12,200 in the Tallahassee area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,000 to $10,400. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of wall face and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of wall face for retaining wall in Tallahassee?
About $31 to $59 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $45 to $420 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Tallahassee or Panama City?
Panama City is 80 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,400, which is 2% more than Tallahassee ($9,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Tallahassee?
About 42% at the midpoint, or $3,900 out of $9,200. Materials are 55% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Tallahassee?
$5,000 to $9,850. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Tallahassee?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $420 for fees in the Tallahassee area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Tallahassee expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Florida?
Tallahassee is 3% below the Florida statewide estimate ($9,550 at the midpoint). We cover 19 metros in Florida; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Tallahassee?
The BLS median is $25.37 an hour in the Tallahassee area, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.80 to $29.30.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Tallahassee?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,200 to $8,600 and premium work $9,800 to $12,200. Basic means: short block wall, easy access. Premium means: tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access.
+When is the best time to build a retaining wall in Tallahassee?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. October and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Retaining wall near Tallahassee
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Retaining Wall Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 40% of the low installed price and 60% of the high one, since HomeGuide says labor is 40-60% of the total project cost.